Turn dry skin into healthy looking skin every day

Dry skin is uncomfortable skin — it feels tight, looks flaky and can get itchy. Especially during the winter months, skin dryness reaches a peak and you’ll have to take extra measures to ensure that it stays hydrated and retains moisture. With a few simple steps, you can help recover or maintain glowing skin. Follow the guide below for supple and healthy-looking skin all winter long.

Turn Dry Skin Into Healthy Looking Skin Every Day

1. Say No To Hot Water

Lukewarm water is your friend especially if your skin has a tendency to become dry. Hot water strips skin of its natural oil barrier which is essential in retaining moisture on your skin. Also important: Keep your water exposure to a minimum. Avoid holding your face under the shower head for too long, as the duration can also exacerbate dryness. Follow up your shower with a moisturizer. For best results, moisturize while your skin is still damp.

2. Avoid Alcohol And Fragrance In Your Cleansing Routine

Alcohol in the form of toners, astringents and peels is your sworn enemy in the fight against skin dryness and healthy-looking skin. Make sure that none of your cleansers are formulated with alcohol in them. Fragrance can also have a drying effect and can cause skin irritation. Try to go with gentle, fragrance-free cleansers that are formulated with fatty molecules like ceramides, which will restore moisture to your skin. Garnier SkinActive Clean+ Gentle Clarifying Gel is formulated without alcohol, fragrance, or dye, and contains plant extract to help soothe skin.

3. Keep It Cool At Home

When it’s cold outside, you want your home to feel cozy and warm. But many of us have suffered the pains of overheated offices, and your skin struggles to keep up as you go from extreme cold to dry heat. The dry heat can mess with your skin’s moisture levels. Try to avoid cranking the heat to extremes by layering clothing, and remember to protect your skin from the harsh winds outside with a scarf and hat. And if you can, try to invest in a humidifier — your skin will thank you!

4. Exfoliate

It may seem counterintuitive to slough off skin that’s flaking from dryness, but it’s actually better for your skin in the long run. The more dead skin cells you accumulate on skin’s surface, the less likely the benefits from your other skin care products can work on your skin. Gently slough off dead skin cells from skin’s surface with a soft towel and non-abrasive liquid scrub like Garnier Clean+ Invigorating Daily Scrub.

5. Moisturize The Right Way

After exfoliating your dead skin cells away you can receive the full benefits of your moisturizer. Look for products formulated with glycerin and ceramides to help replenish your parched skin. Try a product like Garnier SkinActive Moisture Bomb, formulated to nourish your skin with a mix of antioxidants. After you wash your face, make sure to moisturize as soon as possible so that the water evaporating off your face doesn’t dry your face out further.

6. Stay Hydrated

Without the beach weather making you parched, it’s easy to forget to drink your suggest eight glasses of water a day. But hydrated skin (much like the rest of your body) is healthy skin. Keep an extra-large bottle of water on your desk and make sure to get through it before the end of the day. Your skin will thank you!

7. Use a Night Cream

It’s not enough to slather on moisturizer before you head to the office. Especially if you have dry skin, you should be ending your day with a nourishing night cream. Night creams like Garnier SkinActive Miracle Anti-Fatigue Sleeping Cream are formulated to sink into your pores while you sleep so you wake up feeling refreshed.

8. Do Double Duty With Your Makeup

When your skin is in need of a little extra love, it helps to use makeup that keeps skin care in mind. Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream helps cover up any imperfections while moisturizing skin and even increasing the appearance of bright skin.

With these eight quick changes your skin will go from dry and chapped to gorgeous and glowing-looking skin.

Now let’s move on to the perfect dry skin care routine. Since your skin is often flaky and tight you should stay away from products with alcohol and fragrance as this will just make your skin worse.

1. Cleanser

In the morning use a gentle, non-lather cleanser — anything that you can rinse may be too harsh for your skin and will rob it of necessary moisture. We recommend a cleansing lotion or milk particularly in the AM when you’re just removing dirt and sweat from the night. In the evening you can use the same product or if you’re wearing a lot of make up use a cleanser specially formulated for dry skin. You can use a rinseable product in the PM because you will be applying a generous amount of moisturizer at night.

2. Serum Or Face Oil

Now that your skin is clean you can start replenishing it with hydration and moisture. You may want to layer emollient products here, so we recommend that from time to time you apply a face oil or serum. These products give your skin the hydration it craves.

3. Seal With A Moisturizer

As we mentioned earlier, moisturizer is crucial for your skin. Resist the urge to slather on the thickest product you can find, as that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s giving your skin the most hydration. Go with something hydrating and moisturizing specially formulated for dry skin. Apply this after cleansing or layer after a serum or face oil for maximum skin benefits.

4. Exfoliate

Your skin is dry and has a tendency towards flakiness so it’s important to exfoliate so that dead skin cells aren’t clogging your pores and keeping hydration from doing its job on your skin’s surface. Use a gentle, non-grainy exfoliator ideally formulated with fruit acids to reveal a new layer of healthy-looking skin.